Shadow of Light
by iAMwhatIamK
Summary: Since birth, all Namine has wanted is to be her own person with their own story. What happened to this mysterious witch while she was alive? Listen and learn.
1. Day Break: Part 1

Day Break: Part 1

My eyes opened for just a second before I closed them again. Bright light had met them. It hurt. Where was I? I remembered a flash, a sort of pain, and then darkness. I try to remember more, but nothing surfaces.

"Who's there?" The voice sounds young. It's a boy's voice. I search for the source. "Please, if someone is there, answer me." The voice sounds like it's spoken, but my ears don't pick up the words; my mind does.

"I'm here," I think to myself.

"Who are you?" it asks back. So, the voice is in my mind. I don't know whether to think that's cool or creepy.

I go to reply, but my mind draws a blank. "I don't know. I can't seem to remember. Where are you?"

"I'm right in front of you."

"I can't see you."

"Open your eyes."

Of course. It takes my eyes a minute to adjust to the light, but I soon see the boy. He's sitting in a chair, his eyes closed. He looks asleep. "Are you sleeping?"

"Sort of. I'm healing. I got hurt a long time ago and am still trying to recover."

"Oh, what happened?"

"The lightand darkness within my heart fought. Neither side won. He was destroyed and my heart was left unguarded. I've been letting someone keep it safe for me."

I walk up to him and touch his hand. "Why don't you wake up?"

"I can't yet. It isn't entirely safe for me yet. One of my friends is trying to fix that for me."

"What's your name? If I'm going to keep talking to you, I'd like to know your name."

He laughs. "Ventus, but you can call me Ven."

I sit in front of him. "Where are we?"

"Well, I'm not so sure myself. I think this room is called the Chamber of Waking. This place used to be my home. Now it's just a shadow of what it used to be." His voice is sad. He pauses for a while before proceeding. "This was the Land of Departure. There was a lovely castle that my friends and I trained and lived in with our master. It fell to darkness and the only way to make it safe was to change it. Thus, Castle Oblivion was born." Another pause. "Only one person knows all its secrets. She left me here to heal. I haven't seen her for a long time."

"You must really miss your friends," I say with remorse.

"I do, but they're still with me. When you care about someone, they never truly leave you. They are always in your heart." A moment of silence. "So, why are you here? No one has ever been able to find this room. I'm not even sure if there is a door on the outside that leads here."

"I don't know how I got here, but I'll stay and talk for a while with you. I can't imagine how it must feel to be alone for so long. I'm not that great of a conversationalist, but I'll do the best I can."

For hours it seems Ven and I talk. He tells me about his friends, his life before the Chamber of Waking. I tell him stories I make up in my head. Soon the boy in the chair is no longer sleeping. He walks around the room as he tells his stories; he falls to the ground laughing when I say something funny. He comes to life.

I start to grow tired. He notices my yawn. His eyes are filled with sorrow. "What's wrong?" I inquire, looking longingly at the chair, wondering how comfortable it is to sleep on.

"Once you fall asleep, I won't see you anymore."

Surprise whips me out of my daze. "Why not?!"

"It's by some miracle you ended up in this room. I do know this though: once you fall asleep, you will go to some other part of the castle."

I stand up and look him in the eyes. "But I don't want to leave you."

He manages to smile. "You are the best thing that's happened to me in a long while. I'm glad you got to come. Listen, even when you are on the other side, I'll be with you. If you call for me, I'll be there to talk to you. This place is very confusing and I don't want you to get lost. Over the years, I've somehow made a map of the castle." He shares his valuable information with me. The map takes form in my mind. There are twelve basement levels, thirteen upper levels, and various rooms. He suggests that I explore to get more of a feel for the place. By this point, my eyelids are heavy with sleep. My eyes close. He shakes me awake. I look up at his blue eyes, dazed. "One last thing, I can't believe that I forgot this, but we aren't the only ones here." Curiosity brings me out of slumber's grasp a bit. "There are people that come here for some reason. I don't know why. I think they might be trying to find me. You have to stay away from them." He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. "If they do find you, don't tell them about what you've seen here. They shouldn't hurt you if you don't know anything. Promise me that you'll do that."

"I promise," I whisper, giving into the lullaby that drags me down.

He smiles. He leans over and touches his lips to my forehead. "Good night and goodbye, my dear friend."

"Bye, Ven."

**A/N: Originally got the idea of putting Ven and Namine together from a video on YouTube (Once was mine- ehikari014) and loved the idea. Let me know what you think, suggestions, anything. I'd love to hear back.**


	2. Day Break: Part 2

Day Break: Part 2

Waking up, I realize Ven had been telling the truth. I fell asleep in his room and woke up in a hallway. Not sure of where I am, I decide to explore the castle until I know my location. I walk up some steps and open the door at the end of the hall. The room is black and empty. It's huge. Closing the door behind me, I notice something. It glitters in the diminished light. Stepping forward to get a better look, I see that it's some kind of a chip. What is it doing here? It looks as if it's meant to read some sort of data. I reach out and touch it gently; a flash of light moves from the chip to a series of tracks. Apparently, whatever data gets read is spread over the entire room. I walk out of the room, still curious as to what purpose that would serve. I proceed through the castle until I reach the top floor. Noting how many rooms there are on this level and the contents of each of the rooms, I begin to backtrack after that. Every level is explored to its fullest, the map growing more and more detailed in my head. All goes well until the fourth floor. Exiting the room at the end of the hall, another door opens. I run and hide behind one of the pillars. A man dressed in a black coat exits the room. He has blonde hair and green eyes, and a chilling expression on his face. I push myself closer to the pillar. I DON'T want this guy to find me. A large black thing appears in the middle of the room; he disappears into it. I look over the floor, avoiding the room he exited. Finally, curiosity over comes me; I open the door.

The room seems to be foggy and mostly empty except for a large, closed flower bud looking thing in the center of the room. As I walk closer, I see something in the center of the bud. It's a figure dressed the same as the man, only the coat's hood is up. It's smaller, about my height and build. Could it be possible this figure is a girl? "Hello," I say quietly. "Can you hear me?" The figure doesn't respond. What if something is wrong? What if she's hurt and needs help? I search the outside of the flower for something to help open it. A slight anomaly on the side, when touched by my fingers, brings forth a keyboard. A screen that appeared as well reads "No. i". What does that mean? I wonder. Finding the open button on the keypad, I push it and the flower bud opens. Staring at the figure, she seems to start to fall. I rush to her and hold her up. "Are you alright?" I ask. I try to get a better look at her. Turning her on to her back, I stifle a scream and back out of the pod. Her face has shape; a small, young face. The features, I can't describe, mostly because there are really none to speak of. Only indications as to where certain features would belong. However, it's the eyes that are most unsettling. They're blank. Perfect white orbs, void of feeling or color. Scared out of my mind, I run toward the door. I have to get out of here. My hand closes on the knob and I turn it…or rather, try to turn it. It's locked. "No," I cry in desperation, fumbling with the knob. "No, no, no, NO!" I fall to the ground and curl up in a ball. "Please!" I scream. "Let me out!" No one answers; I sit and cry. "GET ME OUT OF HERE!"

I have no idea how much time has passed when I finally calm down. Staring over my knees, I see her in the bud, collapsed where I left her. I take a deep breath, stand up, and walk toward her. I look at her. She's so empty, I think to myself. A thought dawns on me. "We're the same, you and me," I say to the girl. "I mean, we aren't the same in every way, but in some ways we are." I take her hand in mine; it's cold to touch. "We're both empty…nothing lives in us. You don't have memories, I can see that in your eyes, and neither do I. It's like we are brand new to the world…new creations." She doesn't answer back, but I don't care. No one's given this girl any time, I bet. She probably won't mind if I talk to her. So I stay with her, talking for hours. When I grow tired, I look for a place to sleep where the man won't see me if he comes before I wake up. I find a way to climb under the bud, and I fall asleep there.

Whirring of a machine awakes me. In the instant my eyes open, images begin to race through my mind at lighting speeds. As they zip past, I'm able to examine every one of them. They are of a boy, dressed in red, fighting a figure dressed in black. The figure's a man, not the girl above my head, or the one I saw in the hall. I know this boy; I can feel it in my heart. But I never met him. So why do I know his face? Memory after memory flows into my mind. I grab my head, hoping to stop the flood. Get out of here, my mind screams at me. Climbing out from under the bud, I see the man. He's uploading something into the flower. The images…he's uploading the images. He's using the girl's empty memory as a storage device. Why? And why these images? I hide until he leaves. After waiting a few minutes, I make my way toward the door. Looking back at the girl, something pulls at my heart. You can't leave her here, I think. But she can't walk or do anything by herself. Bring her could get me caught. Staring at her, I walk to the bud. I place my hand on the information pad. "I know you don't know who I am, but if you ever need help, I am here for you." Dwelling on what I've seen here, I leave the room.

**A/N: In Days, during a dialouge cutscene, Namine tells Riku that Xion's face was originally blank. When I heard that, I wondered why she would know that since the two haven't met yet. Since both of them started at CO, I decided to have Namine meet Xion before she is ready for the Organization.**

**If any of you have any questions, send me a message.**


	3. Day Break: Part 3

Day Break: Part 3

**A/N: So some of my original characters (OCs) show up from here on out. If you have any questions about them, send me a message. Also, when you see ~~~, that means Namine's no longer the speaker; she'll come in at the next mark unless stated otherwise. Enjoy. (Thanks to Justice333 for catching my mistake. Sorry.)**

As I explore the various levels of the castle, the images of the boy rush through my head almost nonstop. At times, they overwhelm me and I have to rest. Who was this kid and why was he in my head? Did I know him? My dreams are filled with him, or rather, I dream I'm watching him, seeing everything he does, like I'm looking over his shoulder. The people in his dreams reveal his name: Sora. Why are you in my head, Sora?

Having created a full map of the castle in my head, I make my way toward the kitchen. I don't know how much time has passed since I got here, but in all that time, I haven't eaten. I'm starving. The refrigerator reveals some fruit. Grabbing a piece, I go back to exploring.

* * *

~~~"I'm telling you, someone stole some of my food at CO."

The men in the room laugh, all but one. The speaker's body language mocks that of an angry individual; we all know he feels nothing, though.

"You all think I'm crazy, don't you!" he screams.

"Stop while you're behind, Vexen." The man stands silent. "If there is indeed someone at Castle Oblivion, they must be found. If they pose a major threat, kill them. If not, then take them to her. She can decide what to do with them after that."~~~

* * *

The halls were so empty now. If the man was there, I never saw him. Stealing food from the kitchen was easy enough. I sat on the floor, eating some fruit and bread. Suddenly, I hear footsteps. Quickly, I open one of the cabinets and climb inside. I curl up, trying to make myself as small as possible. The door opens; I retreat to the farthest corner of the cupboard. Ven, I think hard, trying to contact him.

What's wrong? His voice echoes in my head.

Help me! Please! He's going to find me.

I can't help you. I'm sorry.

The footsteps move closer now. "Ven," I whisper, barely above my breath. "Please!" Tears are rolling down my cheeks now. I hold my breath in fear he might hear me crying.

I can't help you.

The door is ripped open and a hand grabs my leg. "VEN!" I scream as I'm dragged onto the floor. The man in the black coat looks at me. He holds a weapon that looks like a shield inches from my throat. Staring at me, he raises the weapon. His eyes are cold and unfeeling. He stares at me; I dare not move.

"What are you doing here, young one?" His voice is laced with icicles. I'm terrified. I dare not speak. He looks me over. He grabs my arm and pulls me to my feet; I stifle a scream of pain. "Come on, let's go." With a wave of his hand, the large black shape appeared again. He pushes me through it. My breath is pulled from my lungs. The air is freezing. I stand still, afraid to move. Dark shapes shift around me. I feel his strong grip on my arm once again and almost welcome its force. He opens another hole and we step through.

Warm sunlight caresses my face. Brick sidewalk under foot, buildings climbing skyward on either side of me, and a big sky above that. The sounds of people talking and bells ringing in the distance find their way to my ears. Never have I seen anything like it. I could stand here for hours and let the peacefulness seep into me.

"Come along," the man says. I follow him through alley after alley. Why doesn't he go into the main streets? He turns onto one of the streets only before opening a door to a side shop. Above the door, a sign reads "Menleigh's (MEN lee's) Bakery." I stand there taking in the shop. "Come on." He grabs me and throws me into the store. My arm hurts from him grabbing me so hard. I collide with a table, fly over it, and land on the floor. The table tips over and something shatters. Wincing, I look to see that a candle in a glass container has shattered and landed on my legs. One of the customers in the corner of the room stands to their feet. Another, a big man, grabs the man's black coat in his hand and raises the man off the floor.

"What are you thinking!?" The big man screams, "you idiot. Don't you see you've hurt her!?"

"Phyl, put him down," the customer in the corner says, venom in her voice. "I'll deal with him."

Phyl puts him down and walks out the door. The woman behind the counter comes to my side and cleans off my legs. A nasty looking burn now covers part of them. "Are you alright, sweetie?" Her voice sounds kind, but her eyes are blank as well. No emotion.

"What were you thinking, Vexen, treating this child like this?" I turn. The customer glares at the man.

"'This child happened to be at Castle Oblivion. Tell me, highness, how she would get there?"

The customer hits him across the face. I close my eyes. I want him to forget where he found me. I retreat far inside myself. Surprisingly, I find a dim light. I reach out for it, and the next moment, a bright light shines in my eyes. I shield them and see what appears to be a series of interconnected chains. Most of them are strong, but a few look weaker. As I touch them, my mind is flooded with memories…Vexen's memories since he uploaded them memories into the girl. I search the chain until I find what I'm looking for: memories of me. Breaking the chain, my imagination starts to run wild; instead of finding me in the castle, he finds me in the square of town. I got in his way and caused him to drop some things and now he wanted me to pay. My thoughts raced, my mind spun. All my energy was geared at this vision. New links begin to form in place of the others; the old still remain in my hand. I link them to a random chain and force myself out of his mind. Back to reality, back to the screaming.

"I don't care what you say. You take the girl back to where you found her. She wasn't hurting anyone"

"I lost a hundred dollars' worth of groceries because of her." He turned and glared at me. "Little vagabond, you should be thanking me for taking you off the street."

My mouth drops. It worked…it really worked! The customer's face fills with perturbed confusion. "Vexen, what are you talking about? You said you found her in CO."

"What a ludicrous idea! No one can just appear there, especially someone as worthless as her."

"That's enough. Tell Xemnas I'll be in to talk to him about this." She turned to me. I gasped looking at her eyes. They're dual colored, purple and blue, but something else surprised me. Compassion. It was in her eyes. "Are you alright?"

"She doesn't talk."

She turned to him again. Like magic, her eyes lost the emotion and stared at him with the same blank eyes he looked at her with. "Why would she talk to you!? You've half scared her to death! Get out of here!" Vexen turned to leave, staring at me. Ice moved up my spine. He walked out of the store.

"Ayumu, I'm going to take her upstairs." The woman from behind the counter nodded. "Follow me, sweetie."

She led me up stairs to an apartment. My legs hurt as I walked up. Looking back, she must have seen that I was in pain. Once upstairs, she pointed to a chair. "Sit there, sweetie." I do as I'm told. She comes back with a roll of bandages and a container of ointment. She dresses my wounds, careful not to hurt me. Once wrapped, she put a hand on each bandage and closes her eyes. Burning ice races up and down my legs. I want to scream, it hurts so badly, but I contain it. The pain subsides as soon as it began. She opens her eyes once again and looks me over. Her eyes stop on my upper arm and I turn to look as well. A ring of disgusting black, blue, and purple shows where the man held me. I look down at the ground. She wraps her hand around the wound and the pain of burning ice comes back. Once it vanishes, she stands up and begins to walk toward the kitchen. "I'm sorry for hurting you. I guess my magic works differently on you than on others." I look at my arm again and see the bruise is gone. I gasp. "Cool, huh? Most of the time I let others heal themselves, you know, the normal way, but I couldn't let you suffer over something you didn't deserve punishment for. I don't know what Vexen was thinking, hurting you like that." She looks back at me and kneels in front of me, staring into my eyes. "Why did he change his story like that? Did you have something to do with that?" I shrugged my shoulders. "Sweetie," she says, her eyes searching mine. "I understand that you don't trust me. I want to tell you, though, that you can. I promise we aren't as bad as we seem on the surface." She smiles at me, making her eyes sparkle. "My name's Hakumei, by the way. There's a bed in that room," pointing to a door. "If you're tired, you can sleep. Ayumu will be up soon if you need her. I have some business to attend to." She grabs a coat of the rack. I notice it's identical to the one Vexen and the girl wore. She puts it on and disappears through a black portal. I go into the room and fall asleep.

* * *

~~~"What were you thinking?" She was angry at me, this fascinating creature. How could she be one of us, yet feel rage. I saw it in her eyes. "You just assume that I'll do whatever heinous or senseless plan you come up with? What am I supposed to do with a child?"

"You always wanted a child, Hakumei. Consider it a favor"

The fire burned hotter, red dancing amidst blue and purple. A smile of satisfaction touches my lips. "You're doing this on purpose. You can't expect me to…"

"Now before you say anything you will regret, just stop." I transport to her side and stare into those eyes. There's always been something familiar about these eyes. It's one of the reasons I keep her around; that, and her power. "Remember our agreement: you do as I say, lend us your abilities and in turn, I keep your friend alive. Now, I don't want to have her turned to a Dusk simply because you can't obey orders, do you?" She lowers her head, dejected. I know her weak spot. "I thought not. This child won't be that hard to care for. There's nothing significant about her. Just treat her like any of the kids in town."

"Nothing significant. Then what do you think happened to Vexen? No one has ever shown up at CO. That's' plenty enough reason for Vexen to worry, yet he's set on that idea she's from town; just a random girl that needed to be handled by me."

"It is peculiar for Vexen to be confused like that. Keep an eye on her and if she shows any…"

"Shows any sign of being useful, bring her in," she answers, still dejected. "Yes, Xemnas, I know."

I brush her hair out of her face. She turns from me. I smile. "Don't be so cold, Hakumei."

"You're an absolute idiot, Xemnas. You don't know anything about feelings." She opens a portal and is gone.

All the pieces are falling into place.~~~

**(DUN DUN DUN)**


	4. Day Break: Part 4

Day Break: Part 4

Ayumu sits at the table with me. She brought some of the bread from the store up and now we were eating dinner. Beside me is a piece of paper that I've been drawing on. The boy is still in by head; I've drawn him on my paper. He stands facing an ocean in a place that seems so familiar, but I know I've never been there.

A black portal opens in the room. Hakumei steps out, mumbling something under her breath. "So did it go well?" Ayumu asks. Hakumei throws a stare at her, fire burning brightly, fed by the rage in her soul. Ayumu turns back to her food. "I guess not."

"I don't understand why he does this to me. He knows what power I'm capable of. He's just an ignorant, self-centered, egotistical…" She's looking at my picture. I stare up into her eyes. The flames are gone, but something is there, something I can't explain in words. She turns and runs to a room and slams the door shut.

"Did I do something?" I whisper.

Ayumu first looks at me in shock, probably over the fact I talked. She then takes my hand in hers. "It's nothing, honey; you did nothing. Just wait. She'll come out and you'll see."

I do wait…for close to an hour and a half. I continue working on the picture. Ayumu brings me some colored pencils and I finished my drawing. As I was working on coloring the ocean, she emerged from the room. She held a pad of paper in her hand, gave it to Ayumu, and sat down on the couch, face in her hands. I stand up and look at what it was she had given her. It's a sketch, a picture of a girl with her own pad of paper, her drawing being an image of a girl that is drawing as well. The artist is not clearly defined, almost fuzzy. The girl in the picture she was drawing, while still fuzzy, is better defined. She has blonde hair and deep blue eyes, just like me. Ayumu must have seen the likeness too; she's staring at me.

"Did anything else come this time?" she asks. Hakumei shakes her head.

"I don't get it," I say. "Why did you run away?"

"Honey, Hakumei has…a problem with trying to remember things, that is, her memories prior to eleven years. When she remembers something, she draws it out so she won't forget."

"And you remembered this girl?"

"Yes," she answers. "I don't remember how I know her, who she is, or even her name. All I remember is the girl she was drawing. She said that it was her imaginary friend from when she was a child, that her friend drew what was important to her, her memories."

"Did the girl have a name?"

"I told you, I can't…"

"No, not that one. The girl she was drawing."

She closes her eyes, as if searching the deepest recesses of her mind. Finally, they snap open. "Naminé. Her name was Naminé." Naminé; the name flowed of the tongue like a wave. Hakumei looked at me. Her eyes were full of intrigue. "Do you like it?"

I nod my head. "Could I, perhaps, be Naminé?" I ask. They look at one another and smile; I take it as a yes. I smile as well, overwhelmed with joy. I finally had a name, something I could call my own. Not only that, but it looked like I had a place where I could belong.

* * *

~~~"The boy is on the move again, sir. He'll reach the door in no time."

A faint smile comes to my lips. "Thank you, Saïx. You are dismissed." Everything is working out perfectly. Even the little girl, this wild card thrown into the mix, might prove useful. Kingdom Hearts will be mine.~~~

**A/N: End of the first part of Namine's story. Let me know what you thought. Second part coming soon. Thanks for reading.**


	5. Flash of Lightning: Part 1

Flash of Lightning: Part 1

**A/N: So begins the second part of Namine's story. More set up, mostly focusing on how the Organization gains control over her and her abilities. Contains a fight scene.**

I sat on the bed, still drawing. I was now drawing my memories, not the ones of the boy. I wasn't that great of an artist; my pictures lacked detail and were childish, scribbles of colors that only resembled the shapes they were meant to be. The door opens and Hakumei walks in. I put my drawing aside, hoping to hide it; I don't want anyone to know what I've seen in Castle Oblivion.

"What are you working on, sweetie?"

I pick up my picture of the boy on the beach. "Drawing my memories; I'm trying to make sense of everything that's running through my head."

"May I see it?" I hand her the picture. She looks it over, analyzing my work. "Tell me about this. Who's the boy?"

"I've never met him. All I know is that he lives on an island and his name is Sora. Most of my mem…why are you looking at me like that?" Her mouth is open and her eyes are full of surprise.

"You know Sora?"

"No," I whisper, afraid of the answer I'm giving. "I don't know him."

"Alright, then how do you know about him?"

I take a deep breath. How do I go about explaining this to someone without making myself sound crazy? "I have these…thoughts that go through my head; Sora's in most of them. It's like I've lived his whole life with him. I can identify everyone he's ever met, every place he's been, all up until he gets to a castle." I close my eyes and bring the memory forward. "He's holding a sword that looks like a key and he draws the tip of the blade near him, and…" I open my eyes. "Nothing; my memories start after that." Hakumei runs her hands through her hair. "What's wrong?"

"You're special, sweetie, that's for sure."

"Is there something wrong with me?" I ask concerned.

"No, sweetie, it's just I have no idea how to help you figure out what you're going through, why you can't remember who you are. I can barely figure out what's wrong with me." She takes a big breath. "I can't believe I'm going to say this, but I think you need to meet Xemnas. He might actually be able to help you." She turns to leave.

"Hakumei, am I like you?"

She stops. "What do you mean by that, sweetie?"

"Do I have the same problem with remembering my past that you have?"

"NO," she shouts. I pull back, frightened by her reaction. Seeing my response, she comes and sits beside me. "No, you don't have the same problem I have." She pauses. Her eyes tell me she's thinking about whether to tell me a secret or not. "Naminé, Ayumu and I are a type of creature known as Nobodies. Years ago, we lived normal lives as Somebodies, people with hearts. But one day, something happened to our hearts; they were taken from us and what was left of us as people became Nobodies. Since we have no hearts, we can't feel emotion."

"Wait, Hakumei, you can feel emotion though. I've seen it in your eyes. Ayumu doesn't, but you do."

She lowers her head, making her hair fall to hide her face. "Yes, I can feel emotion. Something went wrong as my heart was leaving me. It made me completely new, like I'm half-Somebody. I guess I'm just special."

I turned away from her. "Why can't I be like you?"

She grabs my shoulders and turns me toward her. The emotion in her eyes is so raw and uncensored that water builds in my own. "Sweetie, I pray you are not a Nobody. It's a hard life to live. You're such a sweet girl," she chokes on tears, "that I can't imagine anything bad like that happening to you."

"What do you mean? Why is being a Nobody bad? Is something bad going to happen to you!?"

"Nobodies live on borrowed time. Once they reach the end of it, they fade away into darkness."

I stare at a picture of Vexen I've drawn. "Vexen is a Nobody too, isn't he?"

Hakumei nods her head. "There are hundreds of Nobodies, but the people that have stronger hearts than usual maintain their human form, with a few differences. Most of them are in Organization XIII, and no, I'm not a part of it. Ask any of them and they'll tell you I'm the first of the Nobodies. They permit me because of my power." I begin to pick up my pictures and clear off the bed. She pulls back the sheets and I slide in between them. "Naminé, tomorrow I'll come back after lunch to pick you up, alright. We'll go and see Xemnas after that." I nod, my eyes starting to close. She smiles and kisses my forehead. "Goodnight, sweetie. Sweet dreams."

* * *

After breakfast, I decided to explore the town. People moved in the streets and stores and the noise of it all sounded like music. After hours of being in quiet Castle Oblivion, the noise was a welcomed friend. I walked around, looking at everything: people, stores and the things in their windows, trains that occasionally go by, a hole in the wall. A hole in the wall? I stop and look; on the other side, it's dark and wooded. I climb through and am instantly enveloped in a quiet energy. Despite the silence of the wood, it hums with life. Walking carefully and lightly, afraid that I might disturb the fragile balance of everything, I make my way through the woods. Suddenly, a noise reaches my ears, an unnatural noise; the sound of combat. I make my way through the trees until I come to a clearing. A patch of green leads to a fence in front of an old mansion. The source of the noise comes from a fight on the green, Hakumei versus a type of creature I've never seen before. Looking around, I see more of these creatures. Arrows soar towards them, striking them dead on, sending them away in a bit of smoke.

"Hakumei, what are you doing?" She turns in my direction, and doubles back, surprised to see me. Suddenly, something grabs my leg; I scream as a frightening black shadow reaches for me. I run from it, cold fingers wrapping themselves over my shoulders. It pulls me down, poses itself over me; I close my eyes. Nothing happens. I open my eyes to find the shadow gone, but some of the other creatures are in hot pursuit.

"Get out of here!" Hakumei screams. I don't need to be told twice; I run back for the hole in the wall, Hakumei following close behind. Tree branches hit me in the face, twigs scrape my legs, leaves crackle beneath flying feet. Almost there, your almost there. A shadow appears again, its claws reaching toward me. A bloodcurdling scream escapes from me; a flash of light, coming from nowhere, kills it. Stunned, I freeze. A hand grabs me and pushes me through the hole. The bricks scrape and bruise me as I slam into them. "What were you thinking? I told you I'd come to get you later. You could have been killed." She looks back through the hole, dual swords in hand. "It looks like they're gone. Weird, I've never seen them all disappear like that." Something hot and wet is running down my face. I try to wipe it away; Hakumei looks at me, rage transforms into pity. She takes her sleeve and wipes the tears from my eyes. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to make you cry. I just don't want you to get hurt."

"What were those things?" I manage to say.

"Heartless; they attack people to steal their hearts and end up creating Nobodies. I fight them so that no one in the city gets hurt. If I can help anyone not feel the pain that comes with being like this, it's all worth it."

I turn my face away. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to…"

"Sweetie, it's alright. Everyone makes mistakes. It's what makes us human." Her eyes smile at me. My face is still down cast; she notices I still feel guilty. "I know what will help you feel better." She helps me to my feet and walks me to a side store. "Can I please have two sea salt ice creams?" A kid hands her the ice creams and she gives one to me. Its initial taste is salty, enough I want to pull it out of my mouth, but then it also is sweet. "Pretty good, huh?" I nod my head, afraid to break the spell of euphoria. We walk around town until our ice cream is finished.

"What do we do now?"

"I need to take you to the Castle."

I take a step back. "But I thought I wasn't allowed to be at Castle Oblivion."

Hakumei laughs, "Not that castle." She opens a portal, a black one like Vexen did. I take another step back. "Come on, sweetie. I won't let anything hurt you. I promise." Hesitantly, I take her hand and we go through the portal.

**A/N: Not a lot of action, sorry. Let me know what you think, or if you have any questions. Thanks.**


	6. Flash of Lightning: Part 2

Flash of Lightning: Part 2

**A/N: Contains some abuse.**

We arrive in a room clothed in grey. The walls are stark and uninviting. Hakumei walks to a drawer built into the wall and pulls out a small black coat similar to the one she is wearing. "Put this on," she orders. "It will help you to blend in a bit better. I don't want them to start wondering about you." I obey; the fabric is thick and warm. She pulls the hood over my head and we walk out the door. I follow her like a shadow through corridor after corridor. Something catches my eye; a large room. I move closer to get a better look. A young man plays an instrument on one of the couches while another reads from a book. One man plays with cards. Two others, a young man and woman, whisper quietly in a corner. The girl sees me; her eyes mock looks of curiosity and anger, but no feelings back the look. A hand grabs me, and Hakumei continues to guide me through the hall.

A large door stands before us. "Stay here a moment. I'll go tell him we're here." She turns to me, her eyes warning me of an unseen danger. "Talk to no one." She disappears behind the door. I wait patiently for her return.

Minutes later, the door opens again to reveal a man. There is an X shaped scar across his face and his hair is blue. "He will see you now." I take a deep breath and walk forward. Thirteen tall chairs stand in a circle around an intricate heart shape in the center of the floor. Hakumei looks calmly at me, her eyes barely showing any emotion. In the tallest chair, the one directly in front of me sits a man with long white hair and dark skin. I remove the hood from my head so he can see me better. His face is blank.

"This is her?" is all he asks.

"Yes, Xemnas; this is her."

He looks down at me. "Do you have a name, little one?"

I look to Hakumei. She nods her head; I'm allowed to talk. "Naminé, sir."

"Naminé, Hakumei tells that you have a special talent. Do you deny that?"

"What's my talent?"

A slight smile touches his lips. "Memories; she believes that you have the ability to change memories." I stand there quietly, not saying anything. He just watches me. "I believe her." My eyes meet his; they are cold and unfeeling. Something isn't right here. "Vexen still believes with passion that you came from TwilightTown, but I think we both know the truth." He suddenly disappears from his chair. A hand rests on my shoulder. Turning, I see it's his. "Naminé, I need your help. There is a boy that lives here. His memory was damaged when he got here, and I believe you're the only one that can help him. Will you?" I nod my head.

Xemnas leads me through the halls, Hakumei following me close behind. We stop at a door labeled XIII. Inside the room, a boy, about my age, sits on the bed. Looking at him, I decide he's cute, but his eyes are haunting. They are blank, a halfway point between emotionless and lifeless, like he's in a trance. Hakumei seems to sense my reluctance. "It's alright, sweetie, he won't hurt you." I take a deep breath and walk to the bedside. The boy doesn't look at me, even after I take his hand.

"What is it you want me to do for him?" I say, addressing Xemnas.

A crooked smile creeps onto his face. "His memory is faulty. I'd like you to erase his memories, all of them." I stand shocked; surely he doesn't expect me to do that. His eyes command my obedience. Reluctantly, I do as I'm told; I enter his chain of memories.

Basic images fly by and surround me. In nearly every image, he stands there, like a zombie, doing almost nothing. My fingers unravel each fabrication, leaving emptiness behind. His first memories come forward and I freeze. He's in TwilightTown. When was he here, why did I not see him? Looking down at the memories I hold, I decide to rebel. Taking them all in hand, I create a new chain; side by side with the empty one I've forged, I join them with an empty link. Carefully, I mend the memories I've unraveled; you can never destroy them, but it is possible to make them difficult to untangle. The chain is complete, two that eventually meld into one. I smile at my work; this way, he can still access these memories. Something will just have to trigger it. I further explore his early memories. The earliest memories are the most foggy, almost pixelated. I search through the images. The clearest moment is a flash of light; why is this so familiar? The earlier images, the foggy ones, center on a person. It's a boy, wearing red. I look closer, trying to see his face. I catch a glimpse of it; shocked, I pull back in alarm. Did I see that correctly? Could it be my eyes playing a trick on me? No, I know what I saw; I'd know that face anywhere. It's Sora; this boy has Sora's memories. The realization strikes me full blow. The room spins, darkness swallows me.

"Naminé, sweetie. Please wake up." I open my eyes; Hakumei hangs over me, Xemnas is on the edge of my vision. My head is pounding. Hakumei helps me to my feet. My eyes lock on Xemnas.

"Who's Nobody is he?"

"What?" they both answer.

I glare at him, fire igniting itself within my eyes. "Who's Nobody is he?" He doesn't say anything. Furious, I grab his coat. "He's Sora's, isn't he? Isn't he?"

Xemnas strikes me, sending me across the room. Hakumei pounces on my attacker, but he grabs her by the throat. His cold eyes meet mine. "I will not be talked to in that way, little one." He drops Hakumei. "Yes, he's Sora's Nobody." Water builds up in my eyes. He slowly walks to my side. I recoil as he moves his hand toward me; he runs his fingers gently through my hair. "Now don't cry, little one. Sora is just fine. That boy is special; his Somebody is still alive. If he can forget that, he'll be better off. Did you erase those memories?"

Staring at him, I'm confused. Why will this boy's life be easier without those memories? "They're taken care of."

Xemnas smiles at me and pats me on the head. "Good job. Hakumei," he says, turning to her crumbled figure. "You may take her home now. I have no more use for her today." Hakumei does as he says, her eyes full of venom. She takes my hand and walks me out of the room.

* * *

Back in town, Hakumei walks quietly, her rage slowly dying down. "Hakumei," I say quietly. She turns to look at me. "Does that boy have a name?"

She smiles a little. "His name is Roxas." She pauses for a moment, then kneels in front of me and takes my head in her hands. "I'm sorry Xemnas hurt you. After meeting more of us, your view on Nobodies must be that we're all evil."

"No," I say, stepping back from her. "I don't think that at all. You're not evil, and there were others I didn't meet. I'm not going to base my opinion on two people." She smiles at me, stands up, and we continue walking. "So, are we going back home?"

She laughs. "So it's home to you now. I'm glad to hear that. No, I've got some things still to do today. As for you, I've got an idea. Follow me." She picks up her pace and I follow close behind. Going through the streets full of people is so different than the castle. I like people; they add interesting aspects to life. "Hayner," Hakumei screams. A boy further up the road turns his head. A look of recognition crosses his face and he runs towards us, a boy and girl following him.

"Hey Hakumei," he says. "How are things?"

"Pretty good, Hayner. Are you three staying out of trouble?"

The boy looks insulted by her comment. "Really, Hakumei, do we look like the type to get in trouble?" I try to suppress a giggle. All three of them look at me. "Who's she?"

"This is Naminé; she's staying with Ayumu and me. Naminé, this is Hayner, Pence, and Olette," she says as she indicates which name they belong to. I utter a quiet hello. "Guys," she says, turning back toward the group. "Could she hang out with you three this evening?"

Hayner opens his mouth to answer, but Olette acts quicker. "Of course she can," she says enthusiastically, coming beside me. "We are going to have such a great time together." Hayner goes to argue, but she cuts him off. "Don't even think about it. Come on, Hayner. I never get to hang out with other girls. Instead I have to hang out with Pence and **you**." I burst into laughter.

"Yeah, Hayner," Pence jumps in. "Let her hang with us. She seems cool enough."

"Fine, she can hang with us." Pence, Olette, and I rejoice as Hakumei begins to walk away. "You have to be able to keep up though." A sneaky smile climbs on his lips. Suddenly, he takes off running.

"Come on Naminé," Olette yells back as she follows her friends. I chase after them, tearing through the streets.

* * *

Hours later, with the sun beginning to sink in the distance, we stand in front of a store. Hayner and Pence are inside while Olette and I stand outside waiting. Dirt covers my legs, my face and hair is sticky with sweat, and my clothes are a mess. We both laugh over the mayhem we created today: getting on the nerves of three other kids, running ramped through the streets, playing simple games, that sort of thing. Never before had I felt so good. The boys come out carrying sea salt ice cream. Giving each of us one, we begin to walk through the streets again. "Where are we going?" I say, moving in to take a bite of my ice cream.

Hayner grabs my arm and pulls it away from me, moving the ice cream with it. "Naminé, just wait a few minutes, alright. We're going to the most amazing place in town to eat our ice cream." The other smile knowingly and I follow them to the train station.

"We're eating at the train station?"

Pence smiles. "Yes and no; don't worry, we'll be there soon."

They lead me to a door hidden at the back of the building. The door opens to reveal an extensive staircase, going to the top of the structure. "Please tell me we aren't climbing all those?" They laugh at my statement. I turn to look at the laughing group and see them standing in an elevator. Smiling, I climb on.

Once we reach the top, Olette steps in front of me. "Naminé, you need to close your eyes for this part." I look at her curiously. "You just need to trust me." I close my eyes and she takes my free hand. Occasionally she'll say something, like 'watch your step' or 'move left', but otherwise, I only hear the sounds of the city. "Alright, Naminé, stop right here." I obey; hands take hold of my shoulders and turn me. "Okay, you can open your eyes." My eyelids lift to reveal beauty that cannot be explained with words. The sun is a red disk, sinking in a far off ribbon of blue sea. Another image similar to it comes to mind, a sunset on an island with friends. I look over at the three; their legs hang over the edge of the clock tower, eating their ice cream. I sit down beside them and take it all in.

* * *

~~~"Do you really want to do this? I mean she is just a little girl, nothing special about that."

"Don't talk about things you do not understand, Xigbar. True, Naminé is only a child, but something about her is just not right."

"What do you mean?" Saix questions. "She seemed fine to me; skittish, but fine."

"Then explain to me how this girl just appeared in Castle Oblivion, right under our noses, was able to rewrite two different memories, and somehow knows about the young Keyblade wielder." The room falls silent; no one can answer that question. "Then you see my point. I simply want to learn what we are up against, also see if she can help us further, perhaps in controlling our Keyblade friend when he arrives."

"How do we get her here?"

"You, Saix, will bring her here. No offense, Xigbar, but you would likely scare the child away. Once she is here, Vexen will get us more information about her. You have a question, Xigbar."

"What about Hakumei? You said she's latched onto the girl."

I revel in the power I hold. "Leave Hakumei to me; we'll get the girl tomorrow."~~~

**A/N: Sorry for the delay. Hope it was worth the wait.**


	7. Flash of Lightning: Part 3

Flash of Lightning: Part 3

I get back shortly after dark. "How was your day, Naminé?" Ayumu asks as I walk through the door. She and Hakumei are eating dinner.

"Great, I had so much fun today." I sit down and begin to put some food on my plate. I give them a detailed run down of my day, only leaving out the part about the ice cream before dinner.

"It seems like during all your adventures today, you forgot to wash some ice cream off your face," Hakumei points out. Blushing, I wipe my face. She smiles back at me, her eyes twinkling. "Don't worry, sweetie. We're glad that you had a good time today."

"Yes; at first, I was afraid that you'd have a hard time fitting in with those kids. Hakumei insisted that you try though, that kids naturally are able to find friends. You win this round," she says, looking at her friend. Hakumei smiles as she takes a sip of her water.

After dinner, I go and clean off the grime from the day's adventures. I put on pajamas and sit on my bed and draw. In a short while, there's a knock on the door. "You can come in," I say, not looking up from my work.

"You sure are a dedicated artist." I raise my eyes to see Hakumei looking at my work. It's a picture of Hayner, Pence, Olette, and I at the clock tower.

I put the picture away. "It's not good though. It's childish."

"Like that really matters?" she says defending me. "Sweetie, what matters is that drawing makes you happy, that's all. Pictures don't have to look good all the time. If you're happy with the final result, that's all that matters."

I smile a little. "You know just what to say to make me feel better."

She pulls the blankets up over me. "I've had lots of experience." I want to say something, but I decide not to. "Naminé, sweetie, what is it?" I shake my head. "Come on, don't do this. You know you can trust me. What is it you want to say?"

"Did you ever have kids?" She pulls back, a bit hurt by my question. "I knew it," I shake my head in shame. "I knew that I shouldn't…"

"No, really sweetie, it's okay." She closes her eyes for a moment and clears her throat. "I can't remember if I ever had a child. Kinda sad, huh? That I can't remember something that important. I've always wanted a kid though. Ayumu says that's why I'm so good with them. All the kids in town adore me. But when I'm around you, it's different. It's like…I'm connected to you somehow, like us being together is…natural." I nod my head; being around Hakumei, I feel love I've never known before, love that a parent would have for their child. Not even Ayumu can make me feel like that. "I'm glad you asked that question, Naminé. Sometimes that's the best way to realize we love someone is confrontation like that. Thank you." She leans over and kisses me on the head. "Goodnight sweetie."

"Goodnight Hakumei. I love you." Through the shadows, I swear I see a different woman in the doorway, but I know my mind is playing tricks on me. I drift off into dreams and memories.

* * *

Hakumei isn't there in the morning and Ayumu's already in the store. I quickly make something to eat, help in Menleigh's for a while, and run out the door, in pursuit of Hayner, Pence, and Ollette. Searching for those three is hard; they could be any number of places. Where should I start looking?

"Naminé."

I turn to face the voice. There in the shadows is the man that let me in the room to see Xemnas. He steps out of the dark and I see him better. "Yes, sir…how can I help you?"

"I need your help, Naminé. It's Roxas; something's wrong with him. We thought if anyone could help, it'd be you."

My heart races; Roxas, he's hurt. "Take me to him." The man opened a portal and without hesitation, I walk through. Once inside, a new one opens and I step through. The grey walls of the castle welcome me. "So where is he?" I turn to look at the man, but in an instance, everything is black.

**A/N: Kinda short, I know; the next part will be longer. Almost done with this part. Thanks for reading.**

**Looking for a challenge? Look on my profile for my November challenge. If you're interested, let me know.**


	8. Flash of Lightning: Part 4

Flash of Lightning: Part 4

My head is pounding; why does it hurt so much? I open my eyes as I sit myself up. Looking around, I'm in a bedroom. The walls are empty and the layout is similar to Roxas' room. I hear something, a slight movement. Turning to face the noise, I see a figure clothed in black. I freeze for a moment; three of them have now hurt me. I don't want to be hurt again. They just stand there; looking over the figure, it dawns on me. It's the girl from Castle Oblivion. She just continues to stare in my direction. I stand to walk towards her, but she shirks away. "It's alright," I whisper, "I won't hurt you." Something about her demeanor changes; did she remember me? She walks up to me and touches my hand. I look back into her blank eyes. "Naminé," I say, touching my heart. "I'm your friend." She sits down beside me, continuing to watch me.

I go to ask her what she's doing here, but I stop. Beneath her hood, blank eyes look out, and I can tell talking still isn't an option. An idea comes to mind. "Maybe you can help me now." I close my eyes and break the barrier, however small, that has been put up around her memories. They're short and fragmented, like clips of film. Most of them contain Vexen. Diving deeper, I find the memories we have in common, the ones of Sora fighting. Then, empty space. I let out a sigh and get to work. I make perfect copies of Roxas' memories; maybe this girl can help him remember who he really is someday. Forge the chain so it's good and strong, a chain of Sora's precious memories. Oddly enough, looking over them again, certain memories seem less fuzzy than others. These are the ones he has with his friend Kairi. Why are these ones clearer and not the others?

* * *

~~~"What's the diagnosis, Vexen?" He stands there looking at the papers, bemused by the findings. "VEXEN, I'm waiting."

He snaps out of his daze. "The findings are quite interesting actually; very few, but interesting, none the less."

"What do you mean few? You practically explored her mind."

"That's the thing; the girl's mind is safeguarded. Very little is actually there in the open. It's as if she can lock up her mind from others. I was able to find some things, a few memories that are not so heavily guarded. I'd like to do more testing, if you won't mind, find out more about her, prod her memories," an evil grin finds his countenance.

"For now, bring Naminé here; I want to discuss her future with us. And don't worry about getting those memories, Vexen. I'll see to it you get what you need."~~~

* * *

The girl was so sad, her face blank, almost as if it pleaded for the feelings that I myself could feel. "I wish I could help you somehow. I have no idea how though." Her blank eyes stare back at me. "I wish I knew who you are." We sit for a few minutes. Occasionally, she'll try to say something, but all that comes out are childlike noises. She's trying to learn to speak; how long has she wanted to learn this, yet no one has taken the time to help her. The door opens and we both turn; it's Vexen.

"Leave her be" he says bitterly, pulling me towards the door. "Come, Xemnas wants to see you." The girl looks at me, as if she's trying to figure out why I'm leaving. "Don't bother with her," Vexen says, pulling me out of the room, closing the door behind us. "She isn't ready yet. I dare not leave her alone in CO any longer," he states, glaring at me. I lower my eyes; despite the fact he can't remember I was there, he believes his sanctuary has been compromised. "Come along, Xemnas does not like to be kept waiting."

"What's her name?" I whisper.

"What?"

"The girl, what's her name? I want to know."

He grabs my arm and drags me through the hall. "That is none of your business," he screams. He takes me to the giant throne room and throws me through the entrance.

"Vexen, is that anyway to treat our guest?" Out of the corner of my vision, I see Xemnas walk to my side and help me to my feet. "Are you alright, little one?"

I notice Vexen is trying to leave. "I want an answer," I demand. "What is her name?"

Vexen looks at me, his face trying to portray he is annoyed by me. He looks over my shoulder at his head in command. His posture changes, as if he is giving in to a greater power. "Xion; her name is to be Xion." With that, he exits the room.

"Are you happy now, little one?"

I turn and glare at the superior, my eyes burning. "Why am I here?" My tone is venomous; I notice he clenches his fist. He's trying not to hit me.

"I need your services, Naminé. You have abilities that are beneficial to the Organization."

"I won't help you or your twisted group."

"I don't believe I gave you a choice." With that he grabs my arm and opens a portal. On the other side, he throws me to the ground. A room of blinding white welcomes me; I know this place. "We both know where you are so we'll skip to the important part. This room is under my magic; the only way that you can get out of here is if an Organization member lets you out. Otherwise, you're stuck. Enjoy your stay."

"Wait," I scream out. He stops before entering the portal. "What is Xion for? Why did Vexen make her?"

Xemnas chuckles a bit before answering. "Xion is my back-up plan, in case Roxas and Sora are unable to perform the duties I have planned for them. A fine little Replica, isn't she?" and with that, I'm alone.

I run to the door and try to open it. True to his word, it's locked. The windows are high above my head, so not only am I denied an exit there, but also some form of entertainment. I retreat into my mind. Ven, are you there? Please if you can hear me, answer me. Only silence. What have I done? Putting Roxas' memories in Xion, treating her like a storage unit like Vexen did. I'm awful, and now, I have to pay for what I've done, live with that guilt in absolute silence. In one of the corners of the room is a blanket. With tears running down my face, I curl up and try to sleep.

* * *

~~~Upon my arrival back at the castle, the fierce protector meets me. The moment I step out of the portal, her blade is at my throat. "Where is she?" she demands.

I chuckle. "Wouldn't you like to know?" Her blade cuts lightly, blood running slowly down my neck. "Now is that truly a wise decision. I'm the only one that knows where she is. If you kill me, she'll die too." She removes the blade and I wipe away the blood.

"What did you do with her?"

"The girl is more valuable to us than to you. She can help us to create…"

"You are an idiot, Xemnas. That little girl can in no way help you. She doesn't know how to fight and she can't harvest hearts. Face it; she is of no use to you. So give her back."

"She can help us control Sora." She shuts up. A smile creeps onto my lips. "And, I can control you now too."

Rage built in her eyes. "Leave her alone. She's just a little girl. There's no need to get her involved in things that don't concern her."

"You'd do anything for this girl, wouldn't you, Hakumei?"

"I'd give my heart for her." She immediately regrets her words. I do control her now.

"Good, she's going to need it." She goes to ask what I mean, but I interrupt. "Come back tomorrow and you'll see what I mean."~~~

* * *

Silence hangs in the air, choking the life from me. How long have I been here? I know he brought me here hoping that I'd help him. It won't work; I'll never help him. I wrap my arms around my legs and rest my head on my knees. I try to retreat into my mind, but that no longer offers solace. On the edges of my consciousness, I hear something, a shuffling noise. Opening my eyes a little, I see a small creature. I know what it is; it's a Shadow, a type of Heartless. It moves carefully around the room, looking slightly clumsy while doing so. I laugh as I watch it. It turns toward me, twitching its antennae. "Are you all alone too?" It turns away and continues to explore the room. I get up and begin to move toward it. Scared, it flattens itself and moves along the ground; I kneel so I don't scare it further. I know that it could hurt me, turn me into a Heartless too, but something tells me that won't happen. Curious, the shadow moves toward me. I hold out my hand; it feels it with its antennae, tickling my fingers. I laugh a little. Certain I mean it no harm, it stands in front of me. Slowly and carefully, I take the shadow in my arms and hug it. "It's alright, little guy," I say quietly, trying to calm the slightly squirming creature in my arms. "I'm not going to hurt you." It stops and lets me hold it; it brings me some comfort. "You can stay here with me and we'll keep one another company. I'll hide you; they'll never know about you. It will be just you and…" Before I finish, a bolt of light strike the Shadow and it dies. I scream and fall backward.

"What did I say? She's one of us. If she was a Somebody, it would have turned her into a Heartless. Do you believe me now?"

I turn to see Xemnas and Hakumei standing in the room. "Hakumei," I scream and run into the woman's arms. Tears run down my face.

"You have five minutes, use them wisely." Xemnas exits the room through a portal, leaving the two of us alone.

"Thank goodness you're here; you can get me out. Please help me before he comes back. We'll run away, the three of us, you, me, and Ayumu." I look up at Hakumei; tears are running down her face as well. "What's wrong?"

"I can't help you. Xemnas told me any Organization member can get you out of here. I'm not a member; Naminé, I can't help you." My heart drops into my stomach and I sink to the ground. "Sweetie," she says, moving so I can face her. "Please, just do what they say. It's the best way to ensure that you'll be free again."

"I don't want to; I thought I was supposed to do what's right, what I know in my heart is right."

She turns from me. "Sweetie, you're a Nobody; you have no heart." The words cut deep. I close my eyes tight. "Please, just do what they say. They should treat you right if you do." I nod, even though I know deep down it is wrong. "Good girl," she says, wiping tears from my eyes. She and I sat there, enjoying each other's company for what time we could, her arms wrapped around me, trying to provide some kind of comfort.

"Time's up," Xemnas' voice echoes as the portal appears and he steps out. "Come along, Hakumei." Reluctantly, she is dragged away from me. He pushes her toward the portal. Looking at me, he sees my sad face. "Don't worry, little one. I won't leave you alone." I raise my head and see him holding a small doll that looks just like me. "Do you like it? I had hoped you'd enjoy its company. You know the two of you are not that different." Out of the corner of my eye, I see a birdcage appear. "Both of you look so similar and," opening the cage, he puts the doll in and closes the door, "you're both under my control." Around the door of the cage, I see a faint sparkle; it's under the same spell the room is. "Good bye, Naminé," he says as he pulls Hakumei through the portal after him, leaving me alone again.

I walk toward the cage and look at the small doll. A smile is stitched on her face. "Don't worry," I whisper. "They can't hold us forever."

* * *

Members came to give me food, rarely talking to me. By the time anyone moved into the castle again, my resolve had died and I was easily played. I had become the Organization's pawn. I did everything I was asked to get any interaction with people. The solitude changed me to an introvert; I disappeared into a dream world were all was right and I was loved. I felt my heart die inside. They were right. I'm Nobody.

**A/N: Last part of the set-up for Namine's story. Hope you've enjoyed the ride. The next part will cover Re:Chain of Memories and Days, so it might take longer to post.**

**Also, if you guys have suggestions, recommendations, or questions about my writing, shoot me a message. If you want to comment, fave, or follow, you know what to do.**

**Thanks.**

**~Ami**


	9. Eclipsed in Shadows: Part 1

**A/N: So this part of Namine's story covers Re: Chains and Days. I'll try and stick to the games as close as I can, as well as throw in aspects from the manga. Warning: Contains some blood.**

* * *

Eclipsed in Shadows: Part 1

I ran through the corridors, my legs burning, praying I wouldn't be too late. I was finally free. He'd let me go. Why, I don't know? I push that out of my mind and rush to the room I know he's in. I grab the door and rip it open. There's a tearing pain in my chest and I watch as my features fade until they are translucent. Darkness surrounds me, a world falling apart. I run over sand and dirt, ducking to avoid being hit by trees and other debris that flies through the air. I reach the top of the hill and I see him. He stares at my creation, my doppelgänger. I know what she really is; it's her, but I've made her to look like me. I have to stop him. "Sora," I shout. The boy doesn't turn to face me. Instead, I feel a hand wrap around my neck. As I choke, my murderer turns me so I see his face. It's Xemnas.

"You're breaking your word, little one. For that, you must pay." Something goes through my chest. Looking down, I see the knife. Blood covers my dress, darkness swirls around the edge of my vision as I fall to the ground.

Out of breath, my eyes snap open as I sit up. Moonlight casts eerie shadows in the room. It was just a dream; you're fine. My mind doesn't seem to believe that. The nightmares happen often. They promise I'm safe here, but I will never truly be safe again. Climbing out of bed, I leave my room and walk down the hall. I walk with precision; I know which boards creak and where the weak spots are. Quiet as a whisper, I open the door to his room. He's not there; he's out again. He rarely is here. I walk across the room and lie down on his bed. Just smelling him makes me feel safer. In no time, I'm asleep again, waves echoing in my dreams.

My eyes open and dim sunlight plays on the walls. Quiet breathing is the only sound. He's asleep next to me, facing the window. The dawn reminds him of why he's here. I silently leave and walk to the main room. Resting on the table are two trays of food. I grab them and go back to his room. There are always two trays, even though he's rarely here. I sit down on the floor and begin to eat. There's more to eat than usual: toast, juice, fresh fruit, even a little yogurt. Slowly, the aroma of the food brings him out of sleep. He sits up and faces me. His eyes are covered by a piece of white cloth. "Why are you eating in my room?"

"I thought you might like the company when you woke up," I say as a chew on a piece of toast. He smiles and comes and sits beside me. "Did you sleep well?" He nods, taking a bite of fruit. "Where were you?"

"That's not important."

"I just want to know," I whisper.

"I was at a castle." He pauses for a moment, as if thinking over something. "I met her…that girl you've told me about." I sit up straight. Xion…he met Xion. I hadn't seen her in a while. I knew far more about her now though; that she was comprised of Sora and Roxas' memories, mostly those involving Kairi. That it was my fault that was case; I placed those memories inside her. "She's…I'm worried she might cause problems for you in making him better."

My posture relaxes again. "Don't worry about me. You know how good I am at my job," I say in a joking manner. He laughs a little and I notice that he touches his side. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," he says standing up. I follow him, and stand in front of him. I lift the cloth a little so he can see me. He lowers his head. "Stop it, Naminé; I hate it when you give me that look." I continue to stare at him. He takes hold of the coat's zipper and unzips it a little. I see a bit of red on his clothes underneath. "It's nothing, really."

"Liar," I say. Gently, I place my hand on the wound. A faint glimmer appears and he winces. I take away my hand and pick up my empty tray. "That should help a little, but you should really rest."

"I can't and you know that. I've got to beat this." I look at him. I rarely need to say anything anymore to him. He can read me like a book. "Fine, a few hours, but that's it." I open the door. "What about you?" I freeze. "When do you get a break?"

There's a long silence. "I think you and I both know the answer to that question," and with that, I leave the room.

* * *

Sitting alone in the white room, I let my mind wander. I hate being here. It reminds me too much of Castle Oblivion, the solitude, the silence. I stand up and walk toward the window, putting my hand on the class. The sun's shining and if I listen really hard, I can hear birds chirping outside. What I wouldn't give to feel the grass beneath my feet. He demands that I stay hidden, especially so close to TwilightTown. The Organization is constantly there and it wouldn't take much to lose me again. I hate being locked up.

Xemnas knew that all too well. His spell kept me trapped and turned me into the perfect little pawn. The first few days, I did everything to try and fight him. I'd talk to myself or to the doll, but then I'd feel like I was going crazy. I slowly felt the walls closing in around me. I retreated to the one place that I felt safe: my mind. I built up walls that the strongest castles would envy to protect myself. Only I held the key and no one was going to get me out. Then, someone started to take an interest as to what was on the other side: Sora. The more I destroyed his memories, the further he got in the castle, the more I saw my walls breaking down. I started to look deep into myself: why did I feel I could trust him? That's when I discovered the truth about who I was. Even though I didn't remember him, I knew he could save me. He'd done it before.

I smile a little; if it hadn't been for him, I would still be afraid to do anything about being under the Organization's control. He gave me courage and became a close, trusted friend. I felt the same way with Riku. She knew she could trust them, and so did I. I go back to my drawing. That's how we were connected. I look over my work, smile, and hang it on the wall. Hakumei's words echo in my mind. I was happy with the final product of my artwork. I didn't care anymore that they looked childish; I loved them just the same.

I feel an ache in my heart. I pick up my supplies and leave the room. He doesn't like that I walk around in the daylight. What if curious eyes peered in and saw me? I didn't care; I had one purpose and one purpose alone, as far as he was concerned, and I'd do anything to achieve it. I open the door and descend into the secret area. Down a few halls, past his friends and I'm there. Exactly how I left him. "Hi," I whisper. He can't answer, but that matters very little anymore. I walk up to the pod and touch the smooth glass. I feel the guilt wash over me; it hits hard every time I see him. When was it that I first saw him? Outside the castle, walking toward the door; Marluxia was certain I had the chance to see him. "Do exactly what I tell you and the boy won't get hurt." I obeyed to keep him safe. All the lies about true memories, losing all others to find those that were most precious, only brought the ones I had to change to the surface. Start a new chain beside the original and then split off. Eventually, it became easier for him to make Kairi into me in his mind; he rewrote his own memories to fit the ones I planted.

I sink to the ground and let the grief take me. "I'm so sorry," I whisper. My eyes are full of water, but I can't cry. I had to stop him; if I didn't they would take control of him. My shoes hit the ground as I ran down the corridors towards the room he was in. My hand grabs the handle and pulls the door open. Frigid air meets me and my body becomes transparent; I didn't belong there. I move through the landscape of his home until I find him and my doppelgänger. My voice rings out as I warn him and shatter the illusion. They can't control him anymore; at least, not with my help. "I promise, I will fix things, even if it kills me."

* * *

My eyes open and I see a pair of shoes near my face. I sit up quickly and look up at the covered face that stares down at me. "I'm sorry, sir," I mutter, clumsily trying to hide the evidence of sleep. He just stares at me wit his one eye.

"Naminé, what are you doing here?" His voice instills fear in me; he reminds me of Xemnas sometimes.

"I was working, or I was before I fell asleep…I'm so sorry. It won't happen again."

"See to it that it doesn't." He turns towards Sora and I follow him like a wounded puppy. "You are the only one that can fix the mess you created in Sora's mind. Every minute you waste is another he will never get back. Remember that, and you won't waste away anymore of his life." His words sting on my wounds, but he could care less. I am just a Nobody; I don't matter at all.

* * *

After having DiZ confront me, guilt pushes me to work harder. I've already ruined so much of Sora's life, what right do I have to ruin anymore. I work well into the night. My mind aches, shifting through memory after stolen memory to piece together what I tore apart, but things don't match up. Why is this so hard?

Eventually, I can't take the pain any longer. I force myself out of Sora's mind and into the real world. I'm overcome with exhaustion, but I can't sleep now. Not after what I've done. One foot in front of the other…even walking is difficult. I try to fight it, but I can't; I don't have the energy. I'm unconscious before I hit the floor.

**A/N: Hey readers, would any of you mind helping me out? For both games, poor Namine experiences little action and I have no clue what to do. If any of you would like to make requests, send me a PM (I won't respond to reviews) and tell me. I'll do my best to include them, however, if I can't, I promise to write you something where your idea will be used. Please note, my morals still apply (check my profile), I won't include any of your OCs (sorry), and you will be given credit for your idea. Thanks for reading. **

**~Ami**


	10. Eclipsed in Shadows: Part 2

**Sorry for the delay...massive case of writer's block. Still, if any of you have any recommendations or ideas, please shoot me a message.**

**Just a quick note, the underlined text represent direct quotes from either the game or manga. I do not own Kingdom Hearts nor its characters. Also, Namine's going to be jumping from location to location. If it gets hard to follow, let me know and I'll try to fix it.**

**Warning: Contains some blood.**

* * *

Eclipsed in Shadows: Part 2

I can feel something closing in on me. It's squeezing the air out of my lungs. Small trails of blood run down my arms and legs. Darkness comes with his deep voice and blue eyes.

"No," I scream, thrashing, trying to free myself. My breathing's deep, and I struggle to get enough oxygen into my lungs. I look down at my sheets; there's a gash where I've ripped it. Another nightmare.

A draft chills my body and I pull the blanket around my shoulders and wrap my arms around my knees. His voice still echoes in my head, a nasty reminder that I will never be free of them. They used me, made me do terrible things. All I want to do is forget…

* * *

A corridor opens in the room and the robed individual steps out. Hands go back to remove the hood, and a shower of flowers petals fall around him before fading. His rose colored hair brushes his shoulders and his eyes are as blue as the ocean. You'd think he may be a nice guy…but looks can be deceiving; I should know.

He comes to my side and kneels a bit so I can see him better. "Follow me, Naminé." Obediently, like an abused puppy, I follow him. Through the halls, he pushes open a door that leads to a room with a window. I can't remember the last time I looked outside. I walk to the glass quickly and press my hand to it; it's cold, like everything else here. I look over the bleak landscape and am surprised when I notice three shapes moving towards the castle. I can't really make them out, but one is white, the other a gold/green, and the last is red. My hand goes to my heart. "You know who they are, do you not?" I don't respond; he already knows the answer. "Then listen carefully: those three are going to enter the castle and will be at our mercy." My heart stops: I can't let them hurt Sora and his friends. "You, Naminé, are the factor that will decide their fate." Me? "You will do exactly as I or Larxene tells you. If you do, Sora will be safe and I will award you with your freedom." My spirit flutters, something it hasn't done in a long time. "But if you fail to comply, I will see to it personally that Sora is destroyed before your eyes and you can bear that guilt here, alone in the castle, until you fade into nothing. Do we understand each other?"

What was I supposed to do? Let him hurt Sora? So I was used again…another life ruined…another reason I should have never been born.

* * *

With what strength I have, I struggle to sit him up. I brush a piece of platinum white hair off of his face. He looks like he's asleep, but I know better than that. I destroyed him. Feeble chains are all that's left after I broke his heart. Carefully, I run them through my hands, giving them strength and link his prior memories to the ones I created. I can't help but feel bad for him as well; he's a pawn of the Organization, same as me.

I exit his memories and take his gloved hand in mine. "I made you bear a painful memory too," I whisper. "I'm sorry."

"Why are you in a place like this?" a voice says from behind. My blood runs cold as everything is enveloped in cold darkness.

* * *

He pushes me through the portal into another part of the castle. I'm not sure where I am now, but I think I'm close to the top.

"You were so close to freedom, Naminé," he says, twisting a rose between his fingers. "Yet you closed the exit yourself. Well," he chuckles, "you've got no choice now."

Faintly, I feel something well up inside of me. Slowly, my timid gaze changes until it presents my inner defiance.

"What's that look on your face?" he smiles. "I wanted to get ahold of the brave Keyblade wielder unharmed." My confidence starts to melt away. "You know what I have to do know," he says, fading into the black.

* * *

The portal surrounds me and I'm dragged to Marluxia's side. It takes only a moment to take in the scene: Axel and Marluxia with weapons drawn with me strategically placed between them. Fear takes hold; I know Axel won't hesitate to kill me to get to Marluxia.

"Is that your shield?" he says, reassuring my thoughts. "Won't do you any good, I'm afraid."

"I wonder," Marluxia Muses. "Are listening, Sora?" As if on cue, the threesome arrive, and Axel seems amused at the timing of it all. "Axel says he's willing to harm Naminé to get to me. You won't let that happen, will you?" I watch in vain as they summon their weapons to come to my aid.

"Oh, come now," Axel says, laced with disbelief. "You're Marluxia's puppet already?"

Marluxia and I fade as Sora utters his reply.

* * *

Marluxia releases me; I can't get away fast enough. "No one will bother us for awhile. Now, let's try this again."

"NO," I scream. "I'm not listening to you anymore."

Marluxia looks at me with indifferent disbelief. "Don't tell me you have feelings for him?" He walks up to me again and lays the back of his gloved hand against my face. "We'll try this one more time. One last chance or you can say goodbye to Sora, his friends, and your freedom…"

* * *

I pull the blanket tighter around me. He'd asked me to erase Sora's memory, the same way I had with Riku's replica. I refused; I wasn't going to destroy another heart, especially one that belonged to someone who was so quick to forgive me and you actually cared about me. When Repliku jumped in and saved me, I couldn't have been happier. I only wish there was more I could have done for him.

The cold still had not gone away; my body shivered in it embrace. Slowly, I make my way to the bathroom and turn the water on in the shower. I step in, clothes and all, and let the hot water chase away the shivers. I've never felt rain, but I imagine it feels kind of like this: gentle, warm, safe.

I sit down on the wet tile and lean against the side. Marluxia wasn't all bad, I guess. Just like I'd wanted freedom, he'd wanted something too. He could be nice, even kind sometimes. I can't believe I still remember that…

* * *

Some of the members had begun to move into the castle, creating a flutter of activity in the giant building. However, I was still left alone.

I'm drawing in my corner when the door creaked open. The soft echo of footsteps grows louder as the move towards me. "I'm in charge of watching you today," Marluxia declares. I'm not sure if he's expecting a reaction or anything, so I just sit there. "However," he says after an awkward silence, "I have work to do elsewhere. Would you mind coming with me?"

I quickly stand to my feet, gather my things, and follow him out the door. I know better than to run; where would I run to anyway? We walk through a few halls before arriving in front of our location. Marluxia pulls out a small key and opens the door. Instantly, I hit with the aroma of roses. The room explodes with a spectrum of white to red with accents of the deepest green.

"Welcome to my garden," he says, spreading out his arms. "Sit wherever you like; I'll be over here."

I find a bench nestled a ways back in the room. The roses in this area are the deepest red I've ever seen and intoxicatingly beautiful. I pull out my notebook and begin to copy them. After some time, I begin to feel something scratching my legs. I try and push it away, but as time goes on, it gets worse and worse. Eventually, I can't focus anymore, and look to see what's irritating me.

Dark green rose vines have wrapped themselves around my legs. I watch as they move like a living creature, gaining more ground with every moment. Tiny streams of blood indicate where thorns got stuck and ripped my flesh. Suddenly, more vines wrap themselves around my arms and body. I scream as they begin to take over, drowning out the light. I hear the whoosh of Marluxia's scythe as he cuts through the vines to reach me. It may have been the adrenaline, but I swear I heard hissing with every swipe of the blade.

"Are you alright?" he says when I'm finally free. He quickly pulls me away from that area and goes back to grab my things. "So sorry about that; she's claimed that part of the garden." My curiosity spikes, but I decide it's not worth it.

Marluxia takes my hand gently in his and leads me to another part of the garden. Here, new buds of white roses have just begun to appear on a lattice. "Beautiful, isn't it," he whispers. "I've always been fascinated by them, by their contradictory complexity and simplicity. Complex in that each flower seems to go on forever, the petals disappearing into each other as they reach the center. But still so simple," he says, plucking a small white flower and tucking it behind my ear, "that it says so much with one tiny gesture."

I pressed that flower when we got back to "my room". While it wasn't long after that Sora arrived, I still always hoped in my heart that the Marluxia I met that day would come back.

* * *

I wake up to find the water still running, though it's grown cold now. I turn it off, strip off my wet night-clothes and put on my dress, and slide in between the covers again, welcoming their warmth and the embrace of sleep.

* * *

~~~"Naminé," I call out softly, knocking gently on her door. After no reply, I push it open to find her still asleep. While I can't see her, I can hear her gently breathing. I lift my cloth a bit and smile; she looks so innocent and serene. I reach down to move a piece of her hair only to find her hot to the touch. I mutter a quick sleeping spell, followed by cure. The fever drops some, but not enough. I'd better go tell DiZ. As I leave, I start to think up a plan. She needs a break. Otherwise, she's going to kill herself.~~~

* * *

**Questions, concerns, let me know.**

**Thanks for your patience. More will be coming soon enough.**


	11. Eclipsed in Shadows: Part 3

Eclipsed in Shadows: Part 3

Fighting the claws that refuse to let go of me is exhausting enough, all this struggle to stop sleeping. The world looks like it's underwater, all garbled and hazy. I fight nausea and vertigo as I sit up.

"I was beginning to wonder if we'd lost you entirely." His voice scares me. I look across the room towards the one eyed speaker. He's sitting with his back against the door, just looking at me. I pull the blankets close, feeling extremely vulnerable all of a sudden.

"What are you doing here?" I whisper.

He stands and begins to walk towards me. "Riku came and told me you were sick. I've been monitoring your condition ever since, helping to keep you alive."

I look away; Riku's warned me about this, getting too involved in my work. I become so focused I work myself to my breaking point; this is the second time I've almost killed myself by overreaching that breaking point. "How long have I been out?"

"Three days."

I sit up, throw off the covers, and put by feet on the floor. DiZ rushes to catch me as I begin to fall; the heart is willing, but the body is weak.

"Where do you think you're going?" he asks, laying me back down.

I look up at him, utterly confused. "To do my job."

He shakes his head. "Not until you are fully recovered, Naminé. You are too valuable an asset to lose." So that's all I'll ever be: a tool, an asset, something that can be used and abused. DiZ goes over to my wardrobe and picks up a tray of food I hadn't noticed before, and places it on my lap. "Brought you some food so you can build up your strength, and," reaching under his cloak, he draws forth my art pad and pencils, "I brought you these to entertain yourself."

An awkward silence fills the room; neither of us is truly comfortable with the other. Eventually, DiZ leaves, leaves me all alone once again.

* * *

It was after Xemnas had locked me in that room, back when I still thought I might stand a fighting chance. However, there are many mysteries in Castle Oblivion; one of them being how time works. What was only a few weeks in reality was like months for me. When about three weeks had pasted in Castle time, I'd all but lost hope in ever seeing the sun again.

Once a day, one of the members would come and leave me food. Most of the time, they had their faces covered, so I couldn't tell who they were. That day was different…

The portal opened, just as it always did, revealing one of the members. They placed my food on the table, looked at me, then looked back at the portal. With a flick of the wrist, it closed. Instantly, my pulse quickened and my blood ran cold. What was going on? The member reached for their hood and pulled it back; underneath was a man with red hair and a stern face. He was massive; if he wanted to, he could have probably crushed me. He starts to walk towards me, the floor vibrating with every step, each vibration stronger than the last as he walks closer. I look up at him in sheer terror. What kind of mission has Xemnas given him? Swirls of black begin to gather in his hand; I brace myself for the impact of a spell or a fist.

Something is placed on my lap. I open my eyes to find my sketch pad and pencils. "Hakumei asked me to bring you these," he says, his voice quiet, but strong. He starts to go; the portal appears in the room again. I can feel tears trying to come forward.

"Why?" I whisper, but I might as well have shouted. That word was the first I'd said since my imprisonment.

The man looks over his shoulder a bit at me. "She loves you; I wanted to help her let you know that." He walked through the portal and disappeared.

I run my fingers over the wire binding. This was my hope, my light in the darkness. I'm not sure who that man was, but he was the first member that was kind to me, that treated me like…like a Somebody.

* * *

You know what the worst part about being sick is: all the time you get to do nothing. You can either sleep (which isn't an option for me…too many nightmares), draw (I'm okay with that, but eventually you run out of inspiration, or paper, or both), or you can sit there and think (which I'm forced to do now). My mind wanders to the darkest of locations: the world of what if. What if I'd lied to Sora and his friends, told them I couldn't fix their memories? What if I'd never followed Saïx through the portal? What if I'd never played with Xion's or Roxas' memories? What if I'd just stayed with Ven? What if I'd never been born? Then I wouldn't be here dwelling on all this…

No, I can't do this right now. If I do, I'll sink back into the pit and won't be able to claw myself back out. I need to find something that can take my mind off all this.

I wrap my sheet and walk silently down the hall barefoot. Down the stairs to the glass doors that face the backyard; I sit down next to them and lean my head against the glass. The glass is covered in scratches and dust, but I can still see the trees and grass, hear the birds outside and the wind rustling the leaves. Nature's lullaby is tempting…maybe just a few minutes…

"Naminé!"

I voice came from above; DiZ has noticed I'm gone. I make a break for some of the rubble, hide amidst it, and hold my breath. I listen to his hollow footsteps on the floor as he searches for me. Eventually, he goes back upstairs into the library. I quickly creep back up to my room; daydreaming about the outdoors will have to happen later.

* * *

"Naminé!" a voice whispers from the edge of sleep. My eyes flutter open to see a solitary pool of aqua staring back.

"Riku?!" I say, stretching and yawning as I do. "What are you doing here?"

"Get dressed, pack up your art supplies , a blanket, and anything else you think you might need, and meet me in the hall." As quickly as he came, he's gone again.

What is going on? It's so unlike him to be like this. Not that I'd know personally, but Sora's memories tell me so, as well as his own. Still, I do as I'm told and am in the hall in no time.

"What is this all about?"

"Shh, quiet," he whispers. "Do you want DiZ to hear you?" Wouldn't that be fun? Riku summons a corridor and steps into it, holding out his hand to me. I take a step back; I've had very bad experiences with things lying on the other sides of corridors. "Please Naminé; I promise, I won't let anything hurt you. Don't you trust me?"

I look back over my shoulder, back to the safety of my room. Then I feel HER inside. I take his hand and a leap of faith.

* * *

The corridor takes us to a dark place, full of breeze and haunting noises. Riku goes and leans against a wall, I follow close behind.

"Where are we?"

"You'll find out in the morning. For right now, get some sleep."

As much as I'd love to protest, I am sleepy. I unfold my blanket, pull it around me, and start to doze off. Just as I'm drifting off, I feel my head fall to the side and find a comfortable spot on Riku's shoulder.

That night is the first time in a long while the nightmares didn't come for me.

* * *

**Sorry Namine was so down in this part; the next chapter will be better. Expect it to be up on the 8th. Let me know what you think or if you have any suggestions.**

**~Ami**


	12. Eclipsed in Shadows: Part 4

Eclipsed in Shadows: Part 4

I wake with small beams of light dotting my body. The first things I notice are cute drawings littering the walls. The second thing is that my head is now in Riku's lap. The drawings are childlike, very similar to my own doodles. Memories begin to flash in my mind, snap-shots from a time long forgotten; three children, each hold small rocks, scrape the walls, scarring them with their drawings. I slowly rise to my feet and stand in the middle of the room. The memories swirl around me, engulfing me in happy days. Then one image is burned into my soul: the paopu fruit. I turn to that place on the wall; I now it well from his memories. I place my hand over it; the pictures different than he remembers. I can feel tear welling up again; I shake them away and head toward the tunnel. Fresh sea breeze and sunlight meet my face. I take a step forward only to be pulled to the ground. I turn toward him, his hand held tightly against my mouth.

A woman with caramel hair and stunning blue eyes runs beside the water. I know her; her smiling face is present in many of Sora's memories. We wait for her to pass before he removes his hand. "Thanks," I whisper.

"You're welcome," he says, helping me to my feet. "Wouldn't want to blow our cover the instant we're awake." I smile up at him. We wait a few minutes to make sure the beach is clear before venturing out. The sand feels nice underfoot, supportive and strong. I sit on the path and take off my sandals, hiding the in a bush. Riku smiles and takes my hand.

We walk all over the island. Even though I've seen these places before (the obstacle course, the forest path, the tree house, the cliff), I've never seen them with my own eyes. There's something about being there, experiencing it for myself rather than vicariously through someone else.

Hunger hits before noon; Riku shows me where some berry patches and fruit trees are and we feast on those. As I pop a red berry into my mouth, a small, star shaped fruit catches my eye. I walk up to the tree and go to climb it. A hand comes to rest on my shoulder.

"What are you doing?"

"I want to see what a paopu tastes like." Riku smiles at me, summons Soul Eater, and with one quick swipe of the blade, the fruit falls into my hands. I look down at the fruit and then at him. "Do you want some?" I whisper.

"No thanks," he says, pausing for a moment. "It's best if you wait for the right one to come along before you share it. At least, that's what I've always been told."

I hold the fruit close to my heart; watching him, I realize we aren't so different. Both of us are haunted by things in our pasts, our mistakes, and now, we're trying to make it right. How long will it take before the world is back to "normal"?

I bite into the fruit and its sweet nectar coats my tongue. While the fruit tastes divine, there's nothing else I'd rather do than share the sweet taste with someone else. I look back at Riku and take another bite.

We head down to the beach after eating. I sit down in the sand, Riku a short distance away, lying on his back, while I draw. I draw the landscape before me: the rolling waves, the sand dotted with shells, the trees waving in the ocean air. Deep down inside, I can feel something pulling me, a force I'd never realized was there, beckoning me towards the water. I look over my shoulder to Riku and step into the waves. The cold water laps around my ankles, then my knees, my waist, and then my chest. I look back towards the beach, the black shape still motionless.

"Riku!" I scream. "Help me!" I watch as he sits up, throws off his coat, and dives into the water. I'm under the waves now, the cold water sending piercing chills up and down my spine. My eyes burn from salt, but still I strain them in attempts to see the underwater world. I feel strong arms wrap around my middle, our bodies moving up towards the surface. I gasp for air.

"Are you alright?" Riku asks, concern potent in the question.

"Yeah," I whisper, still somewhat in shock.

"What were you trying to do?" I look up at him; I'm starting to get frustrated because I can't see his eyes.

"I wanted to swim."

"Have you ever swum before?"

"No, but Sora knows how; how hard can it be?" Riku kind of laughs at me; I feel embarrassed now. "Will you teach me?"

The smile leaves for a moment. He guides my arms to his neck and I watch as Riku uncovers his eyes. The pools of aqua look down at me, sad, but kind. "Of course I will," he answers. "Let's get started."

Learning to swim really isn't too hard. It not only helps that I have Sora's memories to go off on, but Riku makes a fabulous teacher. By mid-afternoon, I can swim in the semi-shallow water by myself without fear of drowning.

As the sun begins to sink into the west, Riku goes off to my left while I sit in the shallow area near the small island. The tree the three of them are always sitting on flaps in the wind, adding to the sound-scape of the sea. Off in the distance, I watch as a boat begins to approach the island. As it comes closer, I begin to take a special interest in its passenger. Even from far off, her red hair stands out. A force overwhelms my body; every ounce of me wants to go and meet this girl. A gentle hand comes to rest on my shoulder, pauses there for a moment, its owner most likely looking at her as well, before pulling me away. We swim to a hidden grotto partially hidden under the cliff, where we wait for evening to fall.

"Why did you take me away?" I finally manage to ask. He looks back at me with sad eyes; I know he had no desire to leave as well. He no doubt longs to be with his friends again.

"Naminé," his voice full of anguish, "I can't let you meet Kairi because I don't know what it will do to you."

"What do you mean?"

"Nobodies and their Somebodies are not supposed to exist at the same time. There's a chance if you two met, nothing would happen. But what if you started to fade away, to rejoin with Kairi's heart? What would become of all the work you've done?"

I'm slightly taken aback; I hadn't ever thought of that. What would happen if I suddenly disappeared? Sora would never be complete again. As much as it hurt, I knew I had to avoid Kairi at all costs; too much was riding on me to sacrifice it all.

We doze off for a short while, waiting for the moon to rise and the stars to come out. In the last rays of twilight, we swim back to the beach and gather our things together. I look up into the sky, lost in the massive expanse.

"Looking for something?" Riku says, pulling his coat back over his shoulders.

"There's so many of them," I muse. "I wonder if anyone's ever been to all of them."

"I used to want to, see them all, I mean. But now, there's really one world I want to go to." He needn't say another word; I know he means home. I hear a corridor open and close behind me and I realize I'm standing alone on the shore. Crickets chirp off in the forest behind me and the waves continue to lap against the dock and beach. I notice something sparkle in the dim moonlight and pick it up. I rub sand from the shell and hold it tightly in my hand. A soft song, like a lullaby, floats on the air, a song speaking of light being beside us, guiding us. I finally realize that I'm the one singing, my voice floating gently in the night air. The song ends as the corridor reopens. I turn to see Riku, eyes covered, hand outstretched, in the portal; such a familiar scene…this boy standing in the door to darkness. "Are you ready?" I take his hand, even though every part of me wants to stay.

* * *

I'm the first to come out of the corridor…I'm greeted with someone grabbing me and pinning me against the wall.

"What in the world were you thinking?" DiZ screams in my face. I can already feel tears trying to make their way forward. "Where did you go?" ANSWER ME!"

"LET HER GO," Riku screams, Soul Eater gleaming darkly in his hand.

"You stay out of this, boy," DiZ orders.

"It wasn't her idea; it was mine. I kidnapped her, made her come along. If you need to take out your anger, take it out on me."

DiZ glares at me; I can see flames licking in his eyes. He throws me to the ground. "If I ever catching you doing something like this again," he grits at me, "so help me, Naminé, I will…"

"Do what, DiZ? Erase her?" Riku yells, fighting for me. I dare not interrupt; doing so would only ensure a more painful end. "You won't do that; she's too valuable."

I hide my face as DiZ hits Riku; it stings the same as if it had been me taking the hit.

"Both of you," he says through clenched teeth, "to your rooms."

* * *

I take a step back to admire my hanging job; the pictures I drew while I was on the island are sprinkled around the room, serving as a reminder to the place that will forever serve as my paradise.

"Naminé," I hear whispered through the door. I crack it open as Riku slips in.

"What are you doing here?" I whisper.

He holds up a bag; "I brought you some stuff." We walk over to my bed and Riku opens the bag, pulling out some t-shirts, a blanket and pillow, as well as a pair of worn out clothing.

"What is this stuff?"

"Just some things I grabbed from my place. I know you sleep better with me around; I thought these might help when I'm away."

I brush the blanket with the ends of my fingers. "You went home?"

"Yeah," he says, running his fingers through this hair, "but I didn't see anyone; thought it would be best if I waited until I could reunite with them properly."

I wrap my arms around him, holding him close. "Thank you, Riku, for everything." It takes a moment, but eventually he starts to hold me too. I look up at him at slide my fingers gently under his blindfold. While he pulls back at first, he lets me take it off so I can look him in the eyes. I want to say something to him, try and express the thankfulness I feel, or tell him how much fun I had, the piece I felt, but all those worlds would have fallen short in trying to express my emotions. So I continue to hold him, and let my tears speak for me.

* * *

~~~Guilt struck hard after the anger subsided. They were just children, after all: children thrown into the most trying, difficult situations imaginable. Could I really punish them for wanting to escape it for a day?

I knock gently on her door before entering. The room is quiet; I can only hear the sound of deep breathing. Even in the darkness, I'm able to make out the silhouettes of the two asleep on the bed: Naminé has a blanket half covering her while Riku sleeps beside her in his coat, a pair of hands intertwined between them.

So innocent, but I can already see this as a problem. He must grow too attached to her. Nobodies are, after all, not supposed to exist; Naminé will eventually have to go…~~~

* * *

**Happy Namine/Riku day (12/8). Hope you enjoyed it.**

**Sorry to announce this, but I won't be updating this story for a while. I want to finish XII and start on Xion's story, get back in touch with Days' storyline. Once I do that, I'll begin updating again.**

**Thanks to those of you still reading this. Thanks for not giving up on me. I'd appreciate your comments.**


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